Ecuador extradites businessman Daniel Salcedo to the United States

Ecuador has extradited businessman Daniel Salcedo and former police lieutenant Ronald Herrera to the United States to face federal charges. The transfer, announced by President Daniel Noboa, follows the individuals' acceptance of extradition in September.

Salcedo faces multiple charges in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, including conspiracy to import narcotics, possession of firearms such as machine guns, and money laundering. Prosecutors allege Salcedo earned commissions by converting drug trafficking cash into cryptocurrencies to make the funds harder to track.

In Ecuador, Salcedo has previously been sentenced six times for corruption and organized crime, accumulating over 30 years of prison sentences. He is also a subject of investigation regarding the assassination of former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.